Apple rumored to launch iPhone at WWDC, but we’re not so sure

A new rumor suggests Apple will ditch the usual wait between the new iPhone …

WWDC 2010 is set to take place the second week of June, and the June 7 keynote is the most likely time that Apple will announce the fourth-generation iPhone hardware. Unnamed sources speaking to Mashable claim that Apple now plans to put the new device on sale immediately following its announcement at the keynote. However, we're not so sure that would be a wise move.

The first iPhone was announced at Macworld Expo in January 2007 and went on sale the following June. Subsequent iPhone models were announced during WWDC, then went on sale several weeks later in late June or early July. Supposedly, AT&T has barred retail employees from taking vacations during June—a practice the company employed for previous iPhone launches—and earlier rumors suggested a launch on or around June 22. (If I were a betting man, I'd put money on June 25 or July 9.)

Mashable's sources indicate Apple may forgo the usual wait, however, and launch it the week of WWDC. The reasoning seems to be that the leak of details of the upcoming hardware revision may have forced Apple's hand somewhat, and the company may want to push up the release to generate extra buzz.

Even if that were a good reason to accelerate the launch—which it isn't—we don't believe that Apple would leave developers with no time to update apps to take advantage of the new iPhone OS 4.0 or fourth-gen hardware capabilities. There's still so much that Apple hasn't revealed about the new OS, and developers will likely want to get hands-on time with Apple engineers before incorporating new features like background multitasking. Even Gizmodo's disassembly of a prototype device hasn't necessarily revealed everything about the hardware. Despite the leak, Apple may yet have more surprises in store.

If there is a kernel of truth to this rumor, we believe that Apple may announce preorders for the new iPhone at WWDC, just as it did during the launch of the iPad. The fourth-gen iPhone was still in prototype form earlier this month, though it is believed to be very close to the final form. If the updated hardware is as impressive as we expect, Apple will need all the time it can get to ramp up production to fulfill demand.